Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his business associate, Rick Gates, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy against the US and other felony charges.

The indictments contain 12 counts, including conspiracy to launder money, failing to register as a foreign agent, false statements, and multiple counts of failing to file reports for foreign bank accounts.

Manafort, of Alexandria, Virginia, and Gates, of Richmond, Virginia, turned themselves in to the FBI on Monday.

The charges are the first stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into possible ties between Mr Trump 's presidential campaign and Russia.

The indictment filed in federal court in Washington accused both men of funnelling tens of millions of dollars in payments through foreign companies and bank accounts.

Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort charged with conspiracy against the United States in Russia probe

Manafort and Gates surrendered to federal authorities, and are expected in court to face the charges.

The indictment alleges that they moved money through hidden bank accounts in Cyprus, St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Seychelles.

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In total, more than 75 million dollars (£57 million) flowed through the offshore accounts. Manafort is accused of laundering more than 18 million dollars (£13 million), according to the indictment.

The 68-year-old was fired as Mr Trump's campaign chairman in August after word surfaced that he had orchestrated a covert lobbying operation on behalf of pro-Russian interests in Ukraine.

The Associated Press reported that he also represented a Russian billionaire a decade ago with the goal of advancing the interests of President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Mueller was appointed as special counsel in May to lead the Justice Department's investigation into whether the Kremlin worked with associates of the Trump campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election.

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The appointment came a week after the firing of James Comey, who as FBI director led the investigation, and also followed the recusal months earlier of attorney general Jeff Sessions from the probe.

Investigators have focused on associates including Manafort, whose home was raided in July by agents searching for tax and international banking records, and ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign in February after White House officials said he had misled them about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the US.

Manafort joined Mr Trump's campaign in March last year and oversaw the convention delegate strategy. Mr Trump pushed him out in August amid a stream of negative headlines about Manafort's foreign consulting work.

Donald Trump (Image: AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

Mr Trump's middle son, Eric Trump, said in an interview at the time that his father was concerned that questions about Manafort's past were taking attention away from the billionaire's presidential bid.

Manafort has been a subject of a long-standing FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. That investigation was incorporated into Mr Mueller's broader probe.

Previously, he denied any wrongdoing related to his Ukrainian work, saying through a spokesman that it "was totally open and appropriate".

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Mr Mueller's investigation has also reached into the White House, as he examines the circumstances of Mr Comey's firing. Investigators have requested extensive documents from the White House about key actions since Mr Trump took office and have interviewed multiple current and former officials.

Mr Mueller's grand jury has also heard evidence about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower attended by a Russian lawyer as well as Manafort, Donald Trump Jr, and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

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Gates was Manafort's chief deputy and a key player from Mr Trump's campaign who survived Manafort's removal last summer. Two weeks ago, he was still working for Tom Barrack, a Trump confidant, helping with the inauguration committee's campaign account.